Machine for sewing on buttons



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. J. SULLIVAN. MACHINE FOR SEWING 0N BUTTONS.

No. 600,297. Patented Mar. 8, 1898.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. J. SULLIVAN. MACHINE FOR SEWING 0N BUTTONS.

No. 600,297. Patented Mar. 8,1898.

Nrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. SULLIVAN, OF IPSWICH, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR SEWING ON BUTTONS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 600,297, dated March 8, 1898.

Application filed July 12, 1897. Serial No. 644,282. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. SULLIVAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ipswich, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Button-Sewing Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved button-supplying device forbutton-sewing machines by means of which buttons of different sizes may be fed to the stitchforming mechanism of a sewing-machine in such a manner that the button-chute will at all times be kept filled, so that the supply of buttons passing to the needle of the machine will never fail. lVith the form of buttonhopper such as is shown in my Patent No. 595,7l2, dated December 21, 1897, and having a curved shank-receiving slot in its bottom opening out into the shank-slot in the chute a continuous supply of shoe-buttons will always be fed to the needle of the machine; but with buttons 'such as are used on gaiters or leggings and which have larger and flatter heads than shoe-buttons some difficulty has been experienced in keeping the button-chute filled. This difficulty has been obviated by the present invention, in which.

a slot is formed at one side of a fixed or stationary button-hopper between the vertical wall and the horizontal bottom of the latter, said slot having near one end an inclined shank-gate or exit-passage opening out into the shank-slot of the button-chute. Said inclined slot or passage forms what may be termed a switch to direct the buttons (the shanks of which are pressed by revolving brushes flatwise against the vertical wall of the button-hopper above said slot and through which latter the heads of the buttons project) into the button-chute. A stop-finger which projects slightly inward from the inner wall of the hopper is preferably provided at the far side of the inclined shank exit passage or gate referred to to prevent the buttons pressed against by the revolving brushes from passing the said gate, said brushes serving to force the buttons positively outward from the hopper into the button-chute.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a rear side elevation of a button-sewing machine with my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the hopper and top of the button-chute. Fig. 3 is a partial side elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a partial vertical section of the same, and Fig. 5 a detail to show the button-exit from the hopper. Fig. 6 is a cross-section of the cylindrical upper part of the button-chute.

The button-sewing machine herein shown is essentially the same in construction and operation as that fully described in my Patent No. 596,020, dated December 21, 1897.

A denotes the button-hopper, fixedly mounted on the frame B of the machine. The vertical wall a of the hopper is cut away at its bottom on one side of the hopper to form the slot or opening a between said Wall and the horizontal bottom a of the hopper, this slot or opening being of a proper size or width vertically to permit the heads of the reversed buttons b to project outward through said slot or opening, with their shanks disposed flatwise against the inside of the vertical wall of the hopper as the said buttons are pressed against by revolving brushes (1, traveling around in the bottom of the hopper and carried by a vertical shaft 6, provided at its lower end with a worm-wheel e, meshing with a worm e on the rotating driving-shaft E of the machine- The button-chute comprises the cylindrical upper part F, having the spiral shank-slot f, the lower inclined part F having the shankslot f and the curved plates f separated from each other to form' between them the shank-slot f communicating with the spiral slot f, which in turn communicates with or opens into the slot f. The shank-guideway at the button-exit from the button-hopper to the slot f is inclined, as is more clearly shown in Fig. 5, forming a switch which turns the button-shanks, which are forced against the inner wall of the hopper above the slot or opening a by the brushes (l outward into the slot f at the top of the button-chute. This inclined shank-guideway or exit-passage is above the said slot or opening a and extends horizontally outward through the bottom of the wall a, (see Fig. 4,) said inclined exit-passage being formed by the outwardly and in wardly bent fingers a and a, formed from the metal of the wall ofthe hopper A; the finger a onrthe'far side of the-inclined button-shank guideway or exit-passage f preferably projecting inwardly slightly from the line of the inner side wall of the hopper to form a stop which prevents the button-shanks from passing theinclined' 'guideway or exitpassage f and thereby insures the exit of the buttons from the hopper and their entrance into the button chute or guideway under the action of the revolving brushes (1, whichyas stated, force the-buttons outward positively from the hopper into the button-chute. Thus when the machine is in operation the button chute is always kept filled, so that there will be an'unfailing supply ofbuttons passing to the'stitch-formin g mechanism of the machine.

i 13 am aware that'recipro'ca'ting oroscillating buttomhoppers disposed in inclined positions and provided with slots" :through which :the

' h eadsof thebuttons might project outwardly "through oribeyond the sidewalls ofthehop:

i pers on their way to thebutton-chutes have but infthe-useof the devices referred to the heretofore been used, said hopp'ersih'aving within .th'e1n oscillating agitating 'lo'rushes rbuttons'w'ere not positively forced iintoithe button-chutes :by: the brushes, but gravity "was relied upon 'toicarry thebuttons agitated by themovements of the hoppers and brushes into the button-chutes. As i a consequence Owingito the fact that thetbuttons enter the button-ch ute with their shanks upward,

it'is' necessary to give them a partial lturn'yso J 'thatthey may be presented tothe needle with their shanks horizontal 'topermitthe needle 'to'passthroughthe eyes of the'button-shanks,

- and this is effected by the spiral sl'ot fi'whi'ch f gives the "buttons a quarterturn .as their w sh'anks pass downwardiin said-slot.

The' cylinder F h'as within it a'centralspim idle f against which the headset the-rbut tons impinge and which thus serve to pre- 'ventithe shanks of thebuttons from'escaping from :the spiralslot' f.

Having thus described myinvention, I claim and desire tosecu-re Pby Letters-i Patent-- 3 1. 111 a button-sewin g machine, a 'fixedb'uttonhopper provided with avbirtton-heaLd-rehorizontal :bottom thereof, and with an fin-1' -"ceiving slot between the bottom ofiaportion ofr t-he vertical wall of said hopper and ithe clined buttonshank exitpassage .near one 1 end of said slot, said exit-passage being'above s'aid slot and extending horizontally through said wall, combined with a b'u't ton chutehaving a button-shank slot into which the said ..button-shank exit-passage opens, and means, as rotating brushes, within said hopper, for

forcing the buttons outward from said hopper into said chute.

2. In a button-sewing machine, a fixed button-hopper provided with a button-head-re- CGlViIlg slot between the bottom of a portion as rotatingibrush-es, within said hopper, for forcing-the buttons from said hopper into said chute.

3. The combination with the fixedhhopper *AhaVing the slot or opening a at its bottom,

and the inclined button-shank exit-passage f near one end of said slot or opening, of the button-chute consisting of the part F having the central spindle f and the-spiral button- :ishank slot f, the part F having theibuttonffshank slot f, and the separated plates f havingntheributton-shank' slot f between: them and into'which slot f the said inclined exitpa'ssage f opens.

4. The combination with the fixed hopper 1A having the slot or opening a at'its-bottom, *Jand thein'clined button-shank exit-passage ff near one endof said slot or opening,rof the button-chute consisting of the part F having thespiral button-shankslotf, the part F hav- JiingLtheEbutton-shank slot), and the sepaiirat'edpla'tes fihaving the button-shank Islot f between them and into which slot f wthe :said inclined exit-passage f opens.

I 5. The combination with thefixed hopper A: having the slot or opening a atits bottom, i 'and'th'e inclined button-shank eXit-passagef -near one end of said slot-or opening, of. the button-chute consisting of the part Fhaving the-spiral button-shank slot f, the part F having thev button-shank slot f, and the separated pla'tes f having the button-shank slot f between them and into which slot f 3. the

saidinclinedexitepassage f opens, one side bf said exit-"passage being formed .by :the inwardlyeprojectingl finger or stop or. v

i In testimony whereof I affix my signature in. presence of two witnesses.

" J O HN J L SULLIVAN.

*Witn'esses:

- JOSEPH JAQUITH,

'EDVVARD BRYCE. 

